PM unveils estate regeneration initiative

The PM has unveiled an initiative to target the country’s 100 worst housing estates and redevelop them. This could involve complete demolition and rebuilding in some cases.

A new Advisory Panel will be established, chaired by the indefatigable Lord Heseltine which will draw up a list of post-war estates across the country that are “ripe for re-development”.

The panel will work with up to 100,000 residents to put together regeneration plans. “For some, this will simply mean knocking them down and starting again. For others, it might mean changes to layout, upgrading facilities and improving local road and transport links” explained David Cameron.

The panel will also establish a set of binding guarantees for tenants and homeowners so that they are protected if regeneration work means they have to move out.

This initiative will be financed through a new £140m fund that would, said, Cameron, “pump-prime the planning process, temporary re-housing and early construction costs”.

He promised that this estates regeneration strategy would “sweep away” planning blockages and reduce “political and reputational risk for projects’ key decision-makers and investors”.

The PM added: “The mission here is nothing short of social turnaround, and with massive estate regeneration, tenants protected and land unlocked for new housing all over Britain, I believe that together we can tear down anything that stands in our way.”